Song of Destiny
by Vic Powell
Summary: The kindest thing Zelda could do for Link was to erase his memories before she sent him back to his own timeline, before it all started. So what's to happen to the Hylian raised as a Kokiri, only to be abandoned without memories of being a hero, without a home or anyone to turn to?
1. Chapter 1

Princess Zelda looked down at the strong, calloused hand that held the Ocarina of Time so delicately, like a precious gift from the gods. She bit her lower lip, reaching out to take the family heirloom that was passed down generation to generation, and would be for much longer still, keeping her expression blank and simply thoughtful.

"Thank you, Link... The Hero of Time... For all that you have done. Now that Hyrule is in peace, we can return to the lives we should have been living. As a Sage, I can still send you back to the time you belong in... I'll... I'll never forget you, Link."

Zelda held the Ocarina to her lips and blew into it, playing the song that would once more send Link back into the past, but this time, it would be further back than even she would like to admit. Back to the beginning, when Link was waiting for a Fairy to find him and become his partner. She looked up at the tall male with his golden blonde hair, his rippling muscles, the chain mail he wore under his green tunic, and stared into the eyes of a hero, worn from battle, weary, and slowly growing more innocent as memory upon memory faded, fizzling from his mind as if it had never happened.

But she would know... A foolish action by her started all of this, and a foolish action was the last thing she did before she swore to herself she'd mind her place. She left the memory of their first meeting in Link's mind as he was swept back into the river of time, reaching out as if to grab him back while he left her one more time.

She collapsed after he had left, weeping and cradling the Ocarina. She could feel a shift in time, a rift that had to be fixed, closed, or another problem strikingly similar to this one would occur. She channeled her power as a Sage through her playing, sealing the Door of Time and the Sages powers in with Ganondorf. He would surely find a way out, it was destiny that he would, but for now she could go back to her own time with Impa and keep the peace. It was, after all, her duty as a Princess and a Sage, even if she did seal her powers away so that any of her weakness as a mortal could not be taken advantage of...

Link awoke, yawning and stretching, looking around in anticipation briefly. He had hoped that today would be the day he would get a fairy; he knew it had to be today, it felt like something powerful was telling him "Things will change today!". It was almost screaming at him to get going and meet his destiny head on. The fairy-less Kokiri took a step out of his sleeping area and grabbed his soft leather boots, pulling them on and making sure his tunic wasn't wrinkled too badly. He left through the open door that had a simple curtain covering it and squinted at the beauty of Kokiri forest; the little bugs that tried to imitate fairies, floating around and leaving a trail of soft glowing light behind them, the ivy that grew and provided the only sure way into the forest, the houses and buildings made out of ancient trees from ages so long ago no one would be able to even think how they got there... Link sighed and looked down at the path that lead to his house. His eyebrows rose as he stared, tilting his head. His best friend Saria was standing down below, smiling up at him.

"Good morning Link!"

"Hey Saria... What're you doing here so early?"

"The Great Deku Tree wants to see you."

Link felt his heart leap. The Great Deku Tree? He had spent a long time around the tree, but once he became of proper Kokiri age to live alone, he took a house like everyone else and would not see the forest's leader, protector, and guardian unless called upon by it. He didn't realize it, but he was grinning from one long pointed ear to the other. Today must be the day a fairy will join him! Instead of descending the ladder from his house like a normal Kokiri, the excited boy jumped and rolled before he hit the soft ground, waving to his best friend over his shoulder.

"Wish me luck!"

"Good luck, Link..." Saria smiled, but Link had turned away to see where he was going before he could notice that her smile was forced, and there was sorrow in her eyes. She knew why the Great Deku Tree wanted him, and it was not to give him a fairy, even though that was all he wanted. Sometimes she saw things in her dreams, or when she played her ocarina in the forest. She saw Link often lately, but he was never in the forest with her and Mido. He was out under a great blue sky, running through a wide open field, or splashing in crystal clear water. Sometimes he was surrounded by grey stone or red rock, but the forest was never around him.

Saria had never told Link about these dreams, worried he'd tell her she was imagining things, or taking her dreams too seriously. She sighed and looked up at her fairy, her partner, and the little creature spun around her head to try and cheer her bonded Kokiri up. By this afternoon, the forest would be short one person, and Saria would play a sad song for some time.

Link ran past one of his fellow outcasts moving rocks because Mido told him too, and a small scowl passed over his face. Mido, always bullying the weak, thinking he was some sort of leader... Link couldn't stand the show off and he knew the jerk was only doing it to impress Saria because he was descended from the Kokiri that protected the Great Deku Tree in his time of need, hundreds of years ago... Link rolled his eyes, how many times had he heard that story from the egotistical guy. Of course, Link only heard it over and over because no one knew about Link's lineage. He thought back and tried to remember, but the Great Deku Tree had never said what sort of ancestry Link had in the Kokiri. Was he related to one of the Kokiri that were simply forgotten, not remarkable...? What did that say about Link's future? Is that why a fairy did not go to him? He slowed his excited pace as he thought, jumping from one little plateau to the next to cross the slowly moving water that all Kokiri played in when they felt such an urge. He had passed the shop, waving at the girl that was always sitting on the overhang, and chatted with her briefly about sales and such. He had started to dread seeing the forest's leader, but his thoughts were cut short when Mido shouted at him.

"Link, get moving, the Great Deku Tree has been waiting long enough for you to wake up! How dare you keep him waiting while you flirt with girls!"

Link hated Mido in that instant. He wanted to pick up a rock and throw it at the other boy. Who did he think he was, prancing about the entrance to the Great Deku Tree like he was guarding something? All the Kokiri were welcome to visit their guardian whenever they wished to, Mido was just throwing what little weight he thought he had around. He waved at the girl he had been talking to and returned to walking towards the path of the forest leader. Mido stopped him, of course.

"I can't believe the Great Deku Tree would want to see the likes of you; you don't even have a fairy!"

"Maybe he knows you've got too big of a head for your small body and is going to ask me to deflate it," Link replied, shoving past Mido and sullenly taking the long, winding path to a tree so large it could hold enough homes to make a city. It wasn't that he hated Mido, no Kokiri truly hated any other one, he suspected, but he just couldn't stand the cocky attitude his fellow forest child had.

Link admired the winding path to the forest leader, seeing bugs, vibrantly colored plants, and the odd menacing creature dart overhead on one of the cliffs. For the most part, aggressive animals kept out of the forest, but every now and then a plant that had a mind to eat the peaceful ever-children and someone had to stop them. Lately, it had been Mido...

Mido was on Link's mind when he finally stepped into a wide clearing, larger than any that could possibly be imagined by one of his kind. Taking up most of the room was a tree, so large and old that he thought all of life and history had been through and been seen by the sentient plant.

"Link... I've been waiting for you, my child."

"Hello Great Deku Tree."

"Come, take a seat... I have a story to tell you, little one."

Link sat cross legged near the Great Deku Tree's roots, looking up with almost fearful anticipation. Would he be getting a fairy, or would he learn bad news due to Mido's influence that he didn't believe in, but his brain screamed at him was entirely possible?

"Link, as you know, Hylians sometimes come into this forest. It is not common, and for the most part our kind are left alone. Years ago, a young woman with a baby sought refuge here at my roots. Under my watch she passed away, having been hunted by some evil that threatened her. I raised that baby as a Kokiri, taught it the way of our kind, and waited for a day when I would have to tell it about its history. ...But something has changed. The evil that took that woman's life never fully surfaced. It was in the world one day, and gone the next. I waited as long as I thought necessary to make sure, but no signs or symptoms of what might've happened arose. And so... It is with a heavy heart, Link, that it is time for us to say good-bye. You... are not a Kokiri. You are a Hylian. Your mother left you here with us, but you do not belong here. I protected you for as long as I could, but you are already growing and showing signs that you are different. Not having a fairy aside, you are taller and developing into an adult. No, you wouldn't see it yet, but I can... I can see the great man you will become, or would have, if things had gone a different way. The others will start to notice it soon. And... you have emotions and feelings that are different than those of the forest. You hate, truly hate, and although you do not understand it, one day you will."

It seemed to Link that the Great Deku Tree was sighing, his leaves and branches dipping down as if slumping. "I am very fond of you, Link, but you cannot remember the time you had here. We protected you when you needed it, for we thought we would need you one day, however that day has not come, nor do I believe it will. I hope you can understand, you will have to leave and make your way in Hyrule. But you'll be fine... You always are."

The Great Deku Tree said no more, and Link sat there for what felt like eons. Finally he stood, thanked the tree, and ever so slowly picked his way back to the forest, full of children that would never grow up, with fairies that bonded to them in such a way that he would never understand now. He came upon Mido, who was now facing him, and the arrogant Kokiri stared at Link for a long while.

"...What's up?"

"Oh, nothing Mido. I have to go... do something."

Link grasped Mido's shoulder briefly, saw the confusion and then worry in the other's face, and began to wander in the direction of the opening of trees that stood as an entrance to the forest. One of the child-sized inhabitants was sitting down, staring up at the sky and sighing. Link almost stopped, but he knew that if he did, he might turn around, deny everything, and hide in his home forever, slowly growing up, changing compared to everyone else. Instead he walked slowly forward, over the bridge that had probably once brought him into this place, and would now take him away from it all the same. He was almost across the bridge when he heard a voice.

"So, you really are leaving..."

Link turned and saw Saria leaning against the rope that held the bridge up. She was holding her ocarina close to her heart and it seemed like she had been weeping. Immediately the Hylian felt guilty and reached out to touch her cheek, but the girl turned her head away.

"I knew this day was coming, that you would leave us, Link... But I did not think it would be for a reason such as this. I knew that you were different... You never stopped growing, unlike us..."

Link looked down at Saria. Down? He had never looked down at her before, his best friend had always been taller than he was. But he noticed it now, the slight difference in their height, the tilt of her head when she looked up at him, and a pang of sorrow zinged right through his heart. He was different, he kept growing while she stayed the same.

"Saria..."

The green haired girl shook her head and held up the lovingly carved ocarina. "Please, don't be sad. You were never meant to stay with us. Take this, and always remember; we're best friends, Link, no matter what happens."

When Link took the ocarina and dropped his gaze, he heard a very quiet sound and bit his lower lip, scrunching his face up and turning around, fleeing before Saria could see the tears leak from his eyes. He didn't want to leave the forest, it was so nice and peaceful, his friends were there... The only thing he could have ever asked for was a fairy, and now who knew what was going to happen in his future? He wasn't even sure what a Hylian was, or what sort of jobs they did. At least in the forest he could've been a guard, like Mido and the entrance guardian, or a shop keeper... There were lots of jobs in the forest, everyone worked together... but now Link, who had no job and no purpose there, was about to enter a world where he had no idea how the sun rose or set, let alone how he would survive in it.

A/N: Ocarina of Time was my favorite Zelda game growing up, and still is today. I have beaten it so many times, but at the end I was always a little sad for Link, who lived through a journey no child should have to go through, only to have any proof of it erased from the world, save for Zelda's memory. I was interested in doing a story about his life if the threat had never happened, if the Sages had their powers locked away with Ganondorf, and what Link might do instead. Hope you like it!


	2. Chapter 2

An owl flew over Hyrule, flapping his mighty wings and scanning the land below for something of interest. He was always looking for a good, quick meal, or someone to talk to that didn't back away slowly and try to capture him for his talent. After all, there were not that many huge owls that spoke as a Hylian did, with words others could understand, yet no proper lips! He spotted something bright on the grass and descended, curious to see what had been left behind, possibly by a trader or traveler. He grabbed onto a tree branch, keeping his wings out briefly to make sure it didn't break under his weight, and then settled in, looking down at what appeared to be a golden haired Kokiri, clutching an ocarina and barely moving. He clucked in a fond way, remembering that Kokiri never left their forest for fear of dying, and wondered if perhaps this one had felt particularly brave, or was just that stupid. The owl waited for the child to wake up, settling down for a small nap in the meanwhile, keeping his head turned to listen for sounds of stirring in the grass.

Link woke up slowly, blinking and taking in the bright afternoon sun, the perfectly shaded green grass, a giant tree... and a monster! Instinct told him to fight it, and he reached for... Nothing. He stood there dumbly, holding onto a rounded object and staring up at the creature as it slowly opened its eyes and turned its head all the way around.

"Hoo-hoo! So you are awake, Kokiri child! I was wondering if you would ever get up again..."

"K-Kokiri? No... I'm, I'm..." Link stopped, scratching his brain as he tried to untangle something from what felt like warm, gentle spider webs that held thin branches together in his head. One line snapped and dropped tidbits of information onto his tongue. "I'm Link, a Hylian."

"A Hylian? You're dressed like a Kokiri though, hoo!"

"I've never seen a Kokiri, only heard of them. Do any live around here?"

The owl regarded Link closely, but he saw no lies in the child's eyes. He let out a small sigh and rubbed a long feather along his beak. "Hooooo... Perhaps they do, young Link. Tell me, if you are a Hylian, where do you live?"

Link tried to remember, but only fog rolled through the boy's mind. He shrugged and shook his head helplessly. The owl tapped a talon on the branch he was perched upon. "I see... No memories, dressed like a Kokiri, and so close without knowing of.. hoo! Alright, come with me, I'll lead you to the marketplace, maybe someone there will recognize you."

Although Link found it odd that a creature was talking to him, he nodded dumbly and followed the bird as it ascended, flapping his powerful wings and causing the boy to shield his eyes briefly. A winding path lead out from a knot of trees that Link had been found by, and he held onto the object he was found with, looking down at it after. Holes, potato shaped, colored like the earth warmed by the sun, but he could not figure out just what it was. He heard a voice overhead.

"This is Hyrule, Link. Wide open fields, Lon-Lon Ranch to the left, Hyrule Castle ahead, Lake Hylia further still... There is much to explore, if you wish to find who you are, and to find who may know you. Follow this path, my boy, and you will get to Hyrule castle, hoo hoo!"

The owl started to fly higher, but then circled back down as something caught his large eye. "...You have an ocarina? Those are a rare delight, I hope you treasure that musical wonder."

Link stared down at his hands. An ocarina? Music? He shook his head. He felt like he knew what all these words were, but it was rather hard to comprehend how that fit into his life. He kept walking, his pace fast, wondering if the clothes he wore were really all that normal or not. Was he wearing a dress? With a belt around the middle? And why were his legs bare? He felt rather naked. He kept a close hold on the ocarina though, sliding his fingers over the openings and pondering if he could play it. He'd have to wait though. The owl kept flying overhead, not slacking his pace any, and his chattering never seemed to stop as he gave a guided overhead tour of Hyrule, its history, and the wonderful place it was.

When night was about to fall, the owl stopped on a long stone wall, let out a slow hoot, and ruffled his feathers. Link leaned down and let out slow breaths, surprised that he was not more winded; they had been walking for so long. The boy leaned against the wall and slid down, taking his ocarina and holding it to his mouth. He blew into it, listening to the sweet musical note that escaped. Slowly he moved his fingers, experimenting with the sounds and repeating patterns. The owl hooted along with the tunes that were played, and for an hour or so the two enjoyed a peaceful set of songs in the warm night air. It was so warm that a fire was not needed, and Link began to ask questions, although most of the answers were so long winded that the boy often missed the actual answer!

In the morning, Link and the owl returned to their fast paced trek across the wide open fields. Link could see the castle, its draw bridge down, and he picked up his pace. The owl continued to fly overhead, leading the green clad boy into a busy, bustling marketplace. Link had to stop because of all the noise that hit him suddenly, and he reeled back, looking up. The owl that had lead him there was flying away!

"I'm sorry Link, it's too loud and crowded for me! I wish you luck, and if our paths cross again, I hope you know yourself then!"

The boy watched the owl fly away and sighed, feeling a bit disgruntled. Why did the owl fly this close to the city if he was only going to back off just as fast? Link began to take cautious steps, looking at all the people. Women were arguing over a stall of fabrics, a child chased a cucco around, dogs scampered under feet and around the people, and traders hawked their wares wherever they had found room to be heard and seen. It was a bit overwhelming, and the child started to pick his way through the crowd, mostly unnoticed by everyone. He found a spot of quiet and took to it, scrambling up a set of stairs before he stopped and stared in awe. A huge building with giant panes of colored light stood in front of him, stout statues next to a small man-made pond unnerving the green-clad male a bit. He felt a warm tingling feeling at the sight of the temple, but there was also a little voice that nagged at the back of his mind.

" _If you go in there, you'll lose the peace and have to do it all over again..._ "

Link had no idea where the voice came from or what it meant, but he felt drawn to the temple, the fuzzy tingling warming him, but tiny spasms of warning also seemed to hover just in front of the overwhelming warmth. A stone fell, making a clacking noise as it hit a stair, and the spell was broken. The blonde haired lad took a few quick steps back, turned, and ran back into the marketplace.

After almost an hour of exploring shops, wandering around the main square, and even checking out one or two of the side streets, Link thought if anyone would have recognized him they would've said something by now. A bit dejected, he started for the long dirt path that lead to the castle, his head low and his thoughts muddled with confusion, doubt, hopelessness, and a feeling of loss.

A soft humming sound made him slowly pick his head up, and he saw a little girl with red hair staring up into the sky, rocking back and forth on her heels as if she didn't have a care in the world. She was wearing a white dress and a yellow kerchief, and her smile made Link relax just a bit. When he got close enough her humming stopped and she curiously stared at the lad, tilting her head slightly and continuing to smile.

"Hello, what a lovely day, isn't it?"

"Yes... What are you doing out here?"

"Oh, I'm waiting for my father. He went to go deliver milk to the castle, but he hasn't come back yet. I can't go in because the guards won't let me, hehe!"

Link scratched at his head as he thought about that. "I... I could go get him, I'm sure. I'm Link."

The red haired girl smiled brightly and laughed. "I'm Malon! Here, take this cucco, it's probably the only thing that'll wake him up..."

Malon picked up a small Cucco that had been pecking around at her feet and offered it to Link. It was small enough to fit in his tunic, which surprised him, and he wondered how that would wake up her father, if indeed he was sleeping somewhere delivering milk.

For the next few hours, Link tried every way to get into the castle. Climbing up a steep hill, only to find himself at the feet of guards, going in the front way, which lead to a swift cuff on the head and being tossed out... After countless attempts and checking in with Malon every now and then, who sang for him when he was tired, he finally got past the guards by staying low in the grass, his green tunic helping him blend in with the blades, and sneaking to the furthest corner of the wide field in front of the castle, hopping in the moat, and going for a little swim. There he found Talon, Malon's father, sleeping on the cobblestones and snoring gently.

"...This is her father? Why would he sleep here of all places?" Link tried nudging, shaking, and nearly pushing Talon into the moat to wake him, but he just rolled over like some sort of hibernating bear. Groaning, Link took the Cucco out of his tunic and held it up. The chicken-like creature rustled its feathers, opened its beady eyes, and practically screamed to greet the sun. Link was so startled he dropped the bird, and it skittered on the stones, crowing and flapping its wings like a lunatic.

"What was that?"

"It came from inside the gates."

Suddenly, Link found himself looking at the sharp ends of spears, his back pressed firmly against a crate of something, probably the milk Talon had delivered. The guards were all talking about how they had each thrown this kid out, and how had he gotten back in, when suddenly a great yawn and snorting was heard. Everyone looked down to see Talon waking up, blinking sleepily at the guards.

"Oh, pardon me Sirs, didn't mean to fall asleep again... the stones were so warm and the sun was so nice, y'know..." He scooped the Cucco up off the cobblestones and looked at Link. "Did Malon send you?"

"Y-yessir, she was afraid you fell asleep and asked me to wake you since the guards wouldn't let her in."

"Oh, I see. Well then, let's get going. Er... You'll overlook this, won't you? I know the King might not like to hear I've fallen asleep on the rocks again, and I don't think he'd like to know you all are pointing spears at my unarmed helper who came to wake me up. Poor Malon must be worried sick, I'll get an earful from her for sure..."

Talon guided Link from the guards, who sheepishly talked among themselves as they returned to their post as to how a kid got past all of them. Link looked around, confused. Did he just get saved by the guy who delivered milk to the castle, or did he get kidnapped?

A/N: Sorry the update took so long, I got stuck with the owl and became a bit frustrated, thinking it wasn't working out. I was about to scrap the whole thing! But I gave it some time and kept going. I can't wait for the next chapter, when things should really get interesting!


	3. Chapter 3

When Link was brought out of the castle, he saw Malon waiting, still humming, her eyes dreamily looking up into the sky. He cleared his throat as Talon let out a sob, both sounds startling the girl slightly. She turned to see her father and a roughed up Link, a small laugh escaping her.

"You found him, Link! Thank you." Malon took her father's large hand and smiled very prettily at him, but Talon looked very, very worried. "Now Father, what have I told you about falling asleep when delivering milk?! Ingo is probably really frustrated too that he's going to be the only one working right now!" While the little girl scolded her portly father, Link started to take a few shuffling steps back awkwardly, not sure what to do in this situation. But then Malon turned to him. "And you! ...Thank you, again, for getting my father... Would you like to come see our ranch?"

Link dumbly nodded, surprised at how quickly this female could switch from scolding someone to smiling and bubbling around. A whisper of a sigh stirred up Link's ear and he turned, looking back at the castle, but he did not see anything except the peeved guards that had been bested by a mere boy. The Hylian without a memory followed Malon, frowning at the young girl's sigh he thought he had heard...

Princess Zelda stood at a window, gazing out at the fields and watching the dots that were a girl, her father, and the Hero of Time disappear around a bend. She bit back tears and frowned, trembling slightly in place. Her guard and nurse, Impa, stood by, watching the princess.

"What is it, my Princess? Did the commotion upset you?"

Zelda shook her head and ran her fingers down her cheek. "No, it was just... Have I ever told you about the very, very long dream I had, about a male Gerudo who tried to take over Hyrule...?"

Link had his hands behind his head, smiling at Malon as she chattered away throughout the marketplace, pointing out shops, different people, and where she and her father delivered milk. She seemed really surprised when she found out Link had no memory.

"No memory? At all? And you're dressed so strangely... No one recognized you here?" Malon looked sad; the Marketplace was the largest gathering spot of people in Hyrule, surely if someone saw Link they would've let his family know. She took his hand and resumed smiling. "Come to our ranch then, at least for a little while, until you get your memory back or someone recognizes you. You can help me with the horses, right Father?"

Talon nodded, patting his stomach and letting out a deep hum. "Yes, that's a good idea! Lots of people visit the ranch for milk, and surely if someone recognizes you, your family will come get you! And you can help Malon and myself with the horses and milk..." He looked rather pleased. He'd get a boy to help with the chores, which meant he could deliver milk and Malon could stay with the horses while he dozed off in the Cucco house! It was a perfect situation.

"We need to get you some other clothes though, unless you like that bright green tunic." Malon steered Link and her father towards the stall that was full of women and stood still for a moment, looking over the various cloths. "Oh, that one!" She dove in, her small figure making it easy for her to slip in and out of the adults, and she came back with an off-white fabric, smiling brightly. "This'll be good for you, it's a gentle color so the sun won't tire you out so easily, and it's light so you won't feel like you're wearing wool!" The red headed girl asked her father for some money, paid for the fabric, and resumed her humming as she skipped out of the marketplace. Link and Talon followed, talking about the ranch and what sort of things happened there, as the boy had never been to a place like that and didn't know what work he'd have to do. He was nervous about it, concerned that he wouldn't be of any help, but Talon was determined to get him to ease his own chores. The portly man wasn't malicious or conniving, he was just too attached to the idea of naps in the sunshine on warm days to pass up help, and the ranch could help the lad as well.

A horse with a cart was waiting just outside of the marketplace, idly chomping on grass and flicking its ears every now and then. When it heard Malon's humming, it perked up, ears forward, and patiently waited for the girl, her father, and their guest to climb into the cart. Talon sat up front, while Malon and Link took to the back, watching the scenery roll by. Link thought he saw an owl circling overhead, but he couldn't tell and lowered his chin onto his arms, lazily trying to identify places the owl that had lead him to the marketplace had told him about.

"Are you okay, Link? Oh, what am I saying, you don't have any memories, you must be confused and lost and wondering who you even are! But it'll be okay, I think you'll like it at the ranch. It's peaceful and relaxing, and the chores will help you clear your mind! Maybe all you need is some rest and physical labor and you'll get your memory back!" The girl was so positive about this idea that it made Link smile, and he turned to ask Malon about the horses that they had.

The conversation took them from the castle grounds to the ranch itself, and Link looked around in awe at the large walls that seemed to hide some wondrous secret inside. Open gates framed a pathway for the horse to trek up, the sun being blocked out briefly before Link got a good look at what was to come, but then it all opened up at once. Buildings with white walls faded from time and weather were topped with red roofs, grass was neatly cut, and Cucco's hopped to and fro looking for seed, ticks, or fleas to snack upon and keep the ranch pest free. A huge corral with a beaten path around it held several horses, and Link could hear more in the stables nearby. A windmill was far off in the distance, barely visible, but the lad was distracted when Malon swung herself out of the cart and darted towards a young horse.

"Epona!" She took the velvety nose of the horse and hugged the dark rust colored mare, the white mane sticking out. Talon slowed the cart near a tall, wiry looking man who somehow sported a gut anyway, his large nose and scowling face kind of irritating the blonde haired boy.

"Ingo, this is Link, he'll be staying with us for a while."

The thin-armed man squinted down at the boy and sighed. "Long as he works..." He cast a glance towards Talon, who was sleepily unhitching the horse and trying to slowly creep back to one of the rooms he slept in. Ingo grunted.

The first few weeks went by quickly for Link. He followed Malon around constantly, watching what she did, learning how to properly feed the cucco's and horses, and how exercising the great beasts was very important, because not only did they supply milk to Hyrule, they also helped supply eggs and sold their wonderful horses for a variety of purposes, but to Link, it looked like they were mostly sold for travelers who wanted to go all around Hyrule peddling their own wares. Although many people complimented the ranch on Epona, Malon insisted there was no way they'd ever sell her, no matter how much they were offered. This always made the blonde haired boy smile while he leaned against a fence, because the red haired girl was so determined at these times and stood up to castle guards that came because the King had a mild interest in the rare and unique looking horse, as did a few people from villages no one could even name properly.

After a few months, Link felt good about his place in the ranch. He did a lot of the muscle work, Malon tended to the animals, Ingo did sales, and Talon delivered milk and eggs, among other things that were sold by the ranch. Many people visited Lon-Lon ranch, but none knew or recognized Link. But by this time, he was getting new memories he was growing fond of with the ranch people that he was starting to forget that he didn't belong there. He was muscular, ate like a horse, and worked just as hard. No one had a single complaint about him as a worker, but by the time half a year passed, Malon started to notice how his gaze shifted.

The girl approached Link while he was sitting on one of the low fences in the corral, stroking Epona's mane and humming the song Malon taught him. He liked the horse and knew she'd be a force to be reckoned with when she grew up.

"Link?"

The blonde haired boy looked up, smiling. His hair had grown out, so he kept it tied at the nape of his neck, his tunic had a couple of little tears on the edges and had browned a little from all the work he did, and he was starting to grow taller, just a bit, enough for the red haired girl to notice. He smiled easily and laughed heartily, but he still knew nothing about himself from before he met Malon and that darned owl.

"Yes Malon? Need something?"

Puffing her cheeks out, the girl that was his best friend leaned against the low fence as well, scowling a bit and screwing up her face. "I know you aren't feeling like yourself, Link. I see you staring off at the gate sometimes, like you want to get out of here and... do something else." She pouted a bit, feeling silly.

"H-huh? I mean, it'd be nice to go deliver things for Talon, but, uh, I don't know... what you're, uh... talking about." Link bit the inside of his cheek.

"Liar! I see how you stare at the knights when they leave, you want to go with them!"

Link flushed and then sighed. "No, not... not yet, Malon. What I want to do is.." He stopped talking and frowned. Malon looked up at him curiously.

"Is what, Link?"

"I want to be able to protect you. And travel with you, one day, but not before I can protect you." Link was so embarrassed the tips of his ears were almost glowing bright red. Malon stared at him, gobsmacked. Link launched himself off of the fence and scowled, running for the gate. The little red haired girl followed him without a second thought.

"Get back here, Link, and say that again!" She was laughing, chasing after the boy that was a lot faster than her, but it was lighthearted. Malon almost ran into Link just outside of the ranch, coming up short and squealing as she came to her sudden halt.

Below them a monster lazily wandered through the grass. It was a deku scrub, nothing too dangerous, but it spit nuts at people that could seriously injure someone if they didn't defend themselves properly. It was wobbling to and fro, making low whistling noises while it moved. It hadn't noticed the two children yet, and Malon gripped Link's belt tightly, digging her fingers under it and trembling. She was scared of the scrub, as she was of most monsters. The little red headed girl looked up at Link to see what his face said.

Link looked excited. His eyes flashed a bright blue as he turned to Malon, took her hands gently from his belt, and said, "Stay here, I'll deal with this." He turned and charged down the hill at the deku scrub, and Malon felt like she had just lost him forever.

A/N: …So this has been sitting, mostly finished, in my folder for quite a while. I intend to continue writing it and I hope people find it enjoyable.


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